Reel



B. L. TOMALA July 18, 1950 REEL ' INVENTOR. [ms 722ml@ @fr/zg Filed July 22, 1948 n [3% ma .9

Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED REEL B. Louis Tomala, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Charles W. Musser, Niles, Mich.

Application July 22, 194s, serieu No. 40,199

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-156) This application relates to reels and more particularly to manually operable reels which embody a brake and are suited to outdoor use such, for example, as in applications to marine equipment. v

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a reel structme for winding cable and the like and which embodies a winding spool adapted to nt into a housing in such a Way that one end of the spool serves as a part of the housing enclosure.

As another object, the invention has within its purview the provision of a reel constructed and arranged in such a Way that winding force 1s manually applied to the spool and the application of braking force for resisting spool movements is manually controllable by a movable lever disposed at a readily accessible position. v

My invention also comprehends the use in a reel of a brake adjustable to apply and retain selected frictional resistance to the movements l of the reel spool.

It is further within the purview of my invention to provide a reel adapted to be clamped onto a supporting structure such as a part of a boat,

and wherein the conformation of the reel housing is such that a major portion of the clamp structure is integrally formed thereon.

As another object, this invention comprehends the provision of a reel brake structure in which the reel housing, spool and spool support post comprise parts of that brake structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description 'and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the onesheet'of drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively front and back elevational views of a reel embodying a preferred form of my invention;

, Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the reel shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side sectional view of the reel, wherein the section is taken substantially on a line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an end view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a part embodying my preferred reel structure;

Fig. 6 is an end view of another part of the disclosed structure; and 4 Fig.y 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the part shown in Fig. 5.

Having referencel to the exemplary embodi- 2 ment of my reel which is depicted in the accom?- panyin'g drawings for illustrative purposes,A a base I0 includes a housing portion I2 on one side of which a clamp portion I3 is, integrally formed and projects outwardly therefrom. lThe housing portion I2 is dished to provide a spool receiving recess I 4 and has a substantially plane wall I`5 and a circular side wall I6 of generally cylindrical shape.

The clamp portion I3 is at one side of, and Fpro,- jects outwardly from, the exterior of the side wall I6, preferably being integrally attached thereto adjacent the open side of the spool re-- ceiving recess I4. This clamp portion is of a C-clamp type and is comprisedby a'web I l. of relatively uniform thickness projecting outwardly from the side wall I6 and desirably tapering to a narrower width toward thevouter end. At 'the outer end, Van integrally formed arm I8 projects from the web in opposed relationship` to the wall I6. In opposed relationship to the arm I8, it is my preference to provide external protuberances I9 and 20 on the side wall I6 which desirably presents arcuate surfaces facing generally in the direction of the arm I8 and spaced apart circumferentially of the housing'wall I6 and in substantially symmetrical relationship relative to the arm I8. A screw 22 is threaded into the arm I8 and extends therethrough in substantially parallel relationship'to the web Il and substantially midway between the protuber; ances I9 and 20. By preference, a clamping plate 23 is rotatably carried on the end of the screw 22 in opposition4 to the protuberances vso that a supporting structure, such as the side or seat of aboat, may be gripped between the protubyerfances and the clamping plate to'secure the reel at a` desired position. At the end ofthe screw vopposite the clamping plate, a handle 24 is cartends into the recess I4. In the' disclosedstructure, the" external end of the sleeve 2l "isfrswaged A'outwardly,"as at 29, and may be secured to the housing by brazing or other suitable means.l

A spool 30 having a hub portion 32 and circula;`

end flanges 33 and 34 disposed in substantially parallel relationship at opposite ends of the hub also has therein a central bearing sleeve 35 mounted for rotation upon the external surfaces of the sleeve 21. In the disclosed structure, a brake shoe 36 is disposed between the flat surface 26 of the boss 25 and the inner end surface of the spool 3:11.. This brake shoe is made of a wear resisting material having a high coeocient of friction such as a disc of ber or the like. The diameter of the inner end flange 34 of the spool is such that it approaches, but is freely rotatable within, the side Wall IB of the housing. The other end flange 33 of the spool preferably extends into and closely fits within circumferential groove 31 in the outer marginal portion of the side wall l 5, so as substantially toclose the'A` open end of the spool receiving recess I4..v

In my disclosed reel, I have also provided a readily accessible and variable mechanismfor adjusting the braking action tending to' resist the rotation of the' spool 30 within the housing. This mechanism includes shaft 38 extending throughuand mounted fori rotation within the sleevel 21. Atene end', adjacent the exposed end of the spoolY 39, anut'SQ is threaded onto anexposed end portion 40 of the shaft 38. As illus'- trated in Figs. and '7, the sleeve 2l`has axially projecting tongues 42 and43 thereon which* extend beyond" the exposed end of,` the spool 38. These tongues are of a size to t within selected ones of a pluralityv of slots 44 in the'end surface Offthenut" 39 (Fig. 6) to prevent rotation of the nut 39 relative to the end of the stationary bearing sleeve 2l. In my preferred construction. a Wear resisting'` Washer 45 is interposed between the endI surface of the' nut' 39 and the end of the spool 30,. so that' wear' does not occur on the end of the spool itself.

TheY shaft' 38 projectsfrom' the vhousing at' the end' opposite the nut 39` and has a handle 46 non-rotatably se'curedthereto. In the ,disclosed structure, an end" portion 4l of the shaft 38' v is polygonal and ts into a similarly shaped recess 48'" in the handle' to prevent relative rotatlo'n'between the handle and shaft. Normally the'handle is' se'curedin place'A relative to the shaft by a nut 49 threaded onto the end of the shaft and 'desirablyl accompanied by a Washer 5t.' The polygonal portion d8V on the Shaft 33v is spaced y from the external end surface of the plane vwall l5 of the housing suiciently to allow the sha-ft to move endwise by an amount that permitsthe nut 39 to'be turned to a desired position'with reference to the sleeve 2T over the endsof the projecting tongues 42- and 43. When` the handleL 46 is secured in place on thev shaft 38V by the nut 49, it is held kagainst the outer end ofr the polygonal portion 4T' and a' washer 52' serves as 'aspace'f and Wear resistingelement betweenthe surfacesof. thehandle 4`6' and the plane'wall l5' ofthe housing;

Forv ease' of access' and operation,.the handle 4'6 is provided with an lan'gularlyv projecting end portion 53 and a grip portion 54 disposed adjace'nt and in spaced relationship to the outer surface of the side wall f6. Also, when adjusted= for effective operation,'a position of thenut 39V is sides. Intermediate positions of the handle provide varied degrees of braking action as the result of the frictional force exerted between the brake shoe 3S and the end of the spool.

For effecting rotation ci the spool to Wind cable such as '55 thereon, I have provided a knob type handle 56 which is supported for rotation relative tothe flange 33 of the spool by a stud 5l which is secured to the flange at a position radially spaced from the axis of rotation 0f the v spool.

In the disclosed reel structure, the flexible cable 55 has its inner end anchored to the spool by fastening means such as a set screw 58. The other end of the flexible cable extends outwardly from the spool through an opening 59 in the side 4Wall ItV of the housing. To facilitate the operal tion of the reel when mounted in different positions, a pulley 6i! is rotatably supported between spaced andsubstantialfy parallel lugs u32 and 63 which. are integrally: formed on andV project out-- wai'dl'yf from the exterior of the side wall l'l' ad- 'jace'iit'the' openingfg'. l

From theforeg'oing description of the struclsure and mannervoi operation oi my reel, it may be readilyr und'er'stood that I have provided' a compactr durable and eective' reel, the construction andarrangement' ofA Whichnot only adapts it to be quickly and-securely mounted at variousv positions and with reference to various' structures so as 'to be handy for use, but which also makes ecientuseo the .various structural parts and portions and` has a. readily accessible and manually'adj'ustable brakeby which varying degrees of friction mayv beA utilized for brakingv action against rotation off the spool.

While Ihave lillustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without Ideparting from the spirit of the invention, and I` do not wish to be limited to the precise details of constructionset forth, but desire toavail myself of all changes within the scope ofl the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as-new and desi-re to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is:

l. A reel comprising, ini combination, a reel baseincluding ardished housing portion having a substantiall'yfp'lane wall and an integralK and substantially circularside. wall, and an integrally formed C-clam-p portion projecting outwardly of 4thesidezwagll of the housing.v portion, a screw elementA .threaded-into a part of the C-clamp portionsfor .effecting gripping actionto-mount the reel, a shaft journalled centrally of the` plane wall and extendingin. substantially coaxial relationship toftheycircu'lar side wa1l,a sleeve secured to theplvaneiwall and fitting over the extending portionl ot they shaft, a spool having a hub and end flanges and being jou-rnalled for rotation on, said sleeve, one ofsaid` end flanges of the spool being of a size to t freely into the dished housing p -o rtio ifi -inside the circular side Wall and adjacent the plane wally theother of saidr end anges; ri'lttin g closely adjacent the circular side Wall and providing a closure for the dished housing, a nut threaded ontothe end ofsaid shaft vadjacent saidotlier of the. end flanges 4and locked against rotation relative to said sleeve,. abrake shoe interposed between said one of the flanges and saidi plane wall, a-handle secured to the end o f saidY shaft opposite saidv n ut for rotating the shaft relative to!v the nut,. whereby the nut forcesthe spool-.against the brake shoe to effect adjustable braking action on the spool, and a handle on the spool for manually turning the spool relative to the shaft and base.

2. A reel fas defined in claim 1, and wherein said dished housing portion has a cable opening in the side Wall thereof, and said side wall has integrally formed lugs thereon projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relationship on opposite sides of the cable opening, and `a cable guide pulley supported for rotation between the lugs.

3. A reel comprising, in combination, a reel base including a dished housing portion having a substantially plane Wall and an integral and substantially circular side wall, a shaft journalled centrally of the plane Wall and extending in substantially coaxial relationship to the circular side wall, a sleeve secured to the plane wall and fitting over the extending portion of the shaft, a spool having a hub and end flanges and being journalled for rotation on said sleeve, one of said end flanges of the spool being of a size to t freely into the -dished housing portion inside the circular side wall and adjacent the plane wall, the other of said end flanges fitting closely adjacent vthe circular side wall and providing a closure for the dished housing, a nut threaded onto the end of said shaft adjacent said other of the end flanges and locked against rotation relative to said sleeve, a brake shoe interposed between said one of the flanges and said plane wall, a handle secured to the end of said shaft opposite said nut for rotating the shaft relative to the nut, whereby the nut forces the spool against the brake shoe to effect adjustable braking action on the spool, and a handle on the spool for manually turning the spool relative to the shaft and base. f

4. In a reel, the combination comprising a reel base including a dished housing portion having a substantially plane Wall and an integral and substantially circular side wall, a shaft journalled centrally of the plane wall `and extending in substantially coaxial relationship to the circular side wall, a sleeve secured to the plane Wall and fitting over the extending portion of the shaft, a spool having a hub and end flanges and being journalled for rotation on said sleeve, a nut threaded onto the end of said shaft adjacent one of said end flanges of the spool and locked against rotation relative to said sleeve, a brake shoe interposed between the other of said flanges and said plane wall, and a handle secured to the end of said shaft opposite said nut for rotating the shaft relative to the nut, whereby the nut forces the spool against the brake shoe to effect adjustable braking action on the spool.

B. LOUIS TOMALA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATFNTS Number Name Date 2,079,908 House May 11, 1937 

